Overhead switch.



. PATBNTED JUNE 23, 1908.

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ROBERT B. LOUDEN AND WILLIM LOUDEN, OF FAIRFIELD, IOW.

OVERHEAD. SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 23, i908.

Application led Hai-ch 13, 1908. Serial No. 420,995. I

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT 'B'. LOUDEN and WILLIAM LOUDEN, citizens of the United States, residing at Fairfield, in the conty of Jefferson and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Overhead Switches, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to switches for over# tical section drawn longitudinally along the main track and the branch track with which it is connected and the attachments for supporting the saine, lsaid section being approximately along and above the line 2--2 in Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged detail views which will be ex )lained hereafter. v

Referringto tiie drawings, A represents a section of the main track which is connected to an overhead supporting block or plank B by means of a hanger Il, a cleat b being preferably secured to the plank and a hook being passed through the cleat and 'plank to support the hanger.

A -is a hinged section of track and vis coni nected to the main .track by a clamp C which is hinged to the hanger 1I. The ot ier end of the section A is supported by a special hanger D which has its up )er end made forked and secured to a plate The op iosite end of the lank B is also fitted witi a cleat b and to tiis cleat is secureda plate F havin an upturned 'flange on its outer edge. The p ate E on its cdcc adjoining the plate F has a lipped portion of the plate. F.

I, J and K re )resent branch track sections with which the iinged section A is'designed to connect when moved into iroper position for each. The ends of these lirancli sections adjacent to the hinged section A are sup ported by hangers L which are made substanforked. ends are secured to the )late bolts passing through it and irc through the' cleat b and plankl.

I* ei-ably also The hangj ers L are spaced soas to afiord sufficient fitted with a groove to 'catch over and slide yupon the u ptnrned edge an enlarged perspective of which is'shown space between the tracks I, J and K, to allow t e passageof the necessary carrier frames between them. The upturned edge of the plate F is fitted with notches spaced so as to e directly in line with each of the branch tracks, I, J and K.

The late E is fitted with a spring pressed bolt,.t1e inner end of which is adapted to enter either of the notches in the upturned edge of the plate F, and thus to hold the hinged section A in line with either-of the branch track, I, J and K', as desired. A cord or small rope O is passed over small pulleys P which are secured to opposite edges ofthe plank adjacent to the plate F. The central portion of the cord O is secured to'a lever or tri ger N, which is arranged to operate the bo t', substantially in the manner shown and described in Patent No. 744,372 to William Londen, Nov. 17, 1903. Ashjshown in the drawings, the bolt insertcdgn the notch in line with the branch track la,

To brin the hinged section A Yiii line with either of t ie other branch tracks, pull on the left hand vend of the. cord which first witlidraws the boltN from engagement with the right hand notch and then draws. the plate E along on the plate F until the bolt` M iscpposite the central notch in line with the branch track J. .The force of the spring will iiiowv cause it to enter this notchaud thus the ection A will beheld in alineineiit with ibis branch of the track. If desired to bring it in alineinent with the branchvtrack I, continue to pull on the lefthand end ofdhe cord when the -bolt will be withdrawn from the central notch and th'el plate E will be slid' l* and s eedily oierated so as to bring the hinge( section iii alincincnt with either of the branch tracks desired. ln order to prevent a carrier on either ol the. branch tracks from ruiming ofl' when they are not in aliney ment with the hinged section A', we use `stops S, which are. pivoted between the upper forked ends of the hangers L. .lhis sto pull on the. right forked prongs R on the other.

. ably fitted with pivot pins V which are adapted to enter holes in the `upper ends of the hangers L, so adjusted that when free the forked end of the stop will drop down and straddle the branch track to which it belongs, and thus, to effectually prevent the passage of the carrier end ofthe track.

, When the hinged section A is brought in alinement with either of the branch tracks the hanger D will come in contact with the head of the stop for that track and will press down its head and raises its forked end so as to permit the carrier wheels to y ass under it. In this way vthe stop on the ranch track which is in alinement with the tion A will be lifted out of the the others will be left in position to arrest the movement of theearrier, as is shown in Fig. l. To assist in pressing down the head of the stop easily, we use a triangular shaped plate T, an enlarged side view of which is shown in Fig. 4. The plate is secured to the inner edge of the hanger D by a bolt passed between its forked upper ends and through a washerI/V. The lower edges of the plate T are rounded or beveled so as to contact with the rounded head of the stop at an easy angle,-which together with the inelines of these edges will cause them to easily slide over and pressdown the rounded head of the stop, and thus raise its forked `end above the carrier wheels.

The entire device is exceedingly simple in construction and effective in operation. The entire apparatus being secured to the plank B which is portable, it can be readily secured in any desired position Without the special adjustment of any of the arts being necessary. In place of the plan AB a suitablyconstructed frame for the attachment of the various tracksl may be used if desired.

What We claim is 1. In overhead switches, of a main section of track, two or more sections of branch tracks, a switch section hinged to the main section and adapted to aline with either of the branch sections, a portable frame and a separate hanger to con nect each of the various track sections to the frame.

2. In overhead switches, the combination of a main section of track, two or more sec,- tions of branch tracks, a switch section hinged to the main section and adapted to aline with either of the branchl sections, a portable frame, separate hangers for connect-- mg the main and branch sections of track to the frame and means for movably connectmgthe switch section to said main and branch sections.

3. In overhead switches a portable plank,

wheels off the open the combination hinged secway, while from running o 4. In overhead switches, a portable plank,A

cleats secured to the plank, a main track section secured to one of the cleats by means of a hanger, two or more branch sections secured by hangers to the other cleat, a switch section hinged at one end to the-main section and slidably connected at the other end to said cleat and means to draw it into aline- 4ment with either of the branch tracks.

- 5. In overhead switches, a portable plank, cleats secured to the plank, a main track section secured to one of the cleats byineans of'a hanger, two or more branch sections secured by hangers to the other cleats, a switch section hin ed at one end to the main section and slidab y connected at the other end to said cleat, Apulleys secured to opposite edges of the plank and a cord passed over said pulleys 'and connected `to the mountings of said'switch sectionso as to draw it into or out of alinement wth the branchtracks.

main track, two or more `branch tracks, a switch track connected to the main track and adapted to aline with either fof the branch tracks, separate hangers to supv ort thev open ends of each. of the branch tracks, and sto s pivoted in each of said hangers above'lts track in alinement therewith and so. as to drop ydown thereon and prevent a carrier from running ofi the end thereof.

7 In a device of the character described, a main track, twoor more branch tracks, a switch track adapted to aline with either of the branch tracks and a pivoted stop having a forked end applied to each of the /branch' tracks to prevent a carrier from running off the open endsthereof.

8. l In a device of the character described, a main track, two or more branch tracks, a switch track adapted to aline with either of the branch tracks, and a pivoted stop havin a rounded head at one end and being forke at the other, and being applied to each of the branch tracks to prevent a carrier from running oi the open ends thereof. y

9. In a device of the character described, a main track, two or ported by bifurcated hangers, a switch track adapted to aline with eithenof the branch tracks, and a 'stop device pivoted in the bifurcated ends of each of the branch track hangers so as to stand in alinement there= with and to. dro down and prevent a carrier the o en ends thereof. 10'. In a device of t e character described,

more branch tracks sup- .I runnin ofi the openends thereof., A

a main track, two or more branch" tracks supportedby bifurcated hangers,` a switch track ada ted to aline with either of the branch trac anda stop device havin forked ends adapted to straddle said trac 'and being pivoted in the bifurcated ends o'f each of the said hangers so as to prevent a carrier from A 1 e'ach of the branch trackv angers so as to prevent a carrier from running off the open ends thereof, and .to be 'raised out of the Wa of the carrier by the movement of v the-switc track hanger. l 12. In a device 'of the character described,

a main track, two or more branch tracks suported by hangers, a switch track supported a hanger and ,adapted .to aline-'with the branch tracks' and a s'to device pivoted to each ofthebranch' track angers so as to preventa. carrier 'from' off the open ends lfunmng thereof and to be raised out ofthe way of the "carrier by the movement o'f the switch track4 hanger.

I 313.*Ina device of the character described,

` side.

a main track, two or more branch tracks supported by hangers, a switch track supported y a hanger and adapted to aline with the branch tracks and a sto device pivoted, to

'each of the branch -track' angers so as to prevet a carrier from runnin oi the open ends thereof and an angular' s aped plate bei secured to .the inner ed e of switch trac hanger to contact with t e head of the stop and to raiseit awayjrom its track section.

` f1'4. In a device of the character described, agman track',`two or more branch tracks sup-v ported by hangers, a lstop device pivoted-to eachof said hangers, a sWltch track supported by a biurcated hanger and adapted tofaline with the branch tracks, and an an lar shaped plate scured to the inner edge o said biurcated hanger soas to contact With the stop." device and to raiseit away4 from its track, said plate being a plied to the hanger by a bolt passed throug between its bifurc'ated ends and through a Washer on its other ROBERT B.L0UDEN; WILLIAM LOUDEN.

i Witnesses: LAURA, J. KAMP,

EDW. C. PETERKF 

